UPDATE: Lead changes again in Richland School Board race

The lead has changed yet again in the tight race for the Richland School Board between Jill Oldson and Brett Amidan.

Oldson is again in the lead by two votes, having received 6,177 votes or 50.01 percent. Amidan has 6,175 votes or 49.99 percent, according to an Tuesday afternoon final tally conducted before election results were presented to the Canvassing Board.

Amidan led Oldson by four votes Monday afternoon, the result of a seven-vote swing from a Friday tally that had Oldson had by three votes.

The lead change won’t alter the fact the race will have to go through a manual recount. State law requires a mandatory manual recount in contests where there is less than a quarter of 1 percent and less than 150 votes separating two candidates. Election officials have said the recount would require about 10 election workers and take about a week to complete.

Even closer is one race for Kahlotus City Council. Councilman Robert L. Hagans and Marcia Robitaille are tied at 19 votes apiece.

Tuesday’s final count did not change the results in the small northeastern Franklin County town. A recount in the race is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 1 at the county election center, 116 N. Third Ave., Pasco.

If the recount confirms the tie, a coin toss will determine the winner. The public is welcome to watch the proceedings.

Hagans won his 2011 council race on a coin flip against Molly Robitaille, the daughter-in-law of his current opponent. That broke a 21-21 deadlock.

The state Secretary of State’s Office reported record-low turnout statewide, and Benton and Franklin counties were near the back of the pack. Only Yakima County, with 32.7 percent turnout, was lower than Benton County’s 32.8 percent and Franklin County’s 33.4 percent turnouts.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 2:27 PM with the headline "UPDATE: Lead changes again in Richland School Board race."